It Happened So Slowly
by Nellygrl
Summary: The slow Progression of Ron and Hermione's relationship stuffed into a 13 chapter fanfic. I think this will work. Some Harry Ginny inserts.
1. Awkward Situations

**Why did it have to take this long?**

When Ron walked into transfiguration late, he scooted through the rows of desks quickly and took a seat between Harry and Hermione. Ron was red in the face from running down the quarder. He was short of breath.

"Your late Mr. Weasley," Said professor McGonigal calmly.

"Sorry, Professor. It won't happen again," said Ron with a large sigh.

As class started, Hermione looked over at him. He sat there, breathing in and out, but as his breathing steadied Hermione was filled with thoughts. Ron, with his fire red hair and his sea blue eyes, was Hermiones best friend. He always knew what to say to make her laugh. He was a clutts, and he usually didn't have to say anything in order to make her laugh. She loved seeing Ron make a fool out of himself, and she loved seeing his clueless faces after.

"Today we will learn how to tranfigure others into different things. Today we will be turning our classmates into Cats," daid the Professor walking to the front of the room. "Pair up now! Don't just sit there."

Everyone started to turn their heads in search of a partner, but Ron and Hermione's eyes met instantly. Hermione blushed, but Ron asked in a very simple tone, "Wanna be partners?"

"Sure," said Herrmione, standing up and pulling out her wand. Ron slowly stood up and drew his wand with a very hard look on his face.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I don't really trust myself turning you into a cat right now. My wizarding status isn't of high recommendation," said Ron slipping his wand back into his robes. Hermione quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled it out of his robes. Ron looked at her, dumbfounded.

"What rubbish. I trust you. And even if you do mess up, whats the worst that could happen?" said Hermione stepping away from Ron and spreading her feet, showing that she was ready.

"On the count of three, everone will say the spell 'loccio amido' and your partner should turn into a cat," said the professor standing. "1, 2, 3!"

Everyone's wand emitted a blue-ish green light, surprisingly Ron did the spell correctly. Hermione trotted up to Ron in her cat state and purred.

"Now everyone, pick up the cat and put it on your desk," said the professor. At this, Ron blushed perfusely. He didn't know he would have to pick Hermione up. Ron slowly bent down, thinking of ways to pick up Hermione. Should he put one hand under and lift? Should he grab the neck? No, no, that wouldn't be very comfortable for Hermione. After all these thoughts Ron was feeling very bad for cats.

By this time, everyone had already placed their cats on their desks. Ron bent down and put his hands under hermiones cat stomach. Putting her on the desk actually wasn't as hard as he thought it would be.

"Now, on three say "loccio shmid" and they chall return to their normal state,"said the professor jotting down some notes. "1, 2, 3!"

"Loccio shmid!" Ron yelled. A very cheery, blushing, Hermione erupted from the cat. "Are you alright?" asked Ron when seeing the blushing Hermione.

"Fine," she said, avoing Ron's eyes. They both sat back down, awkwardly, and did the paperwork the Professor assigned.

**I just thought it would be great to put Hermione and Ron in an awkward situation on the first chapter:-). **


	2. Arguments and Confessions

Ron, Hermione and Harry walked into the common room quickly. They all got assigned double homework from Professor Snape that day. I mean, if they did something horribly wrong, they would have disserved it. But come on, saying "bless you" when hermione sneezed, was a bit drastic for a punishment

Harry plunged into the comfy chair near the fire. Hermione loomed into the chair near the tables. Ron just plopped down onto the floore in dispear.

"How? How on earth...are we...gonna write a 4 foot long parchment on the polyjuice posion. All it does is turn you into someone else! What is the bloody big deal?"

"Ron, there is much more to the polyjuice potion then you are giving it credit for! There is the making of the potion, which takes a month to brew. There is the mastering of picking good specimins of the person's dna. There is so much more to the transormation. There are questions that need answers. Why doesn't the voice change? Why does it only last an hour? If you were to ask me, and you certainly wouldn't, I think the polyjuice potion is brilliant," said Hermione in a matter of fact voice.

Ron sat scribbling away, and when he put the last period he burst with a smile on his face, "Two feet down!"

"That's fantastic Ron! What have you got?" Said Hermione with an impressed look on her face. Harry sat with a smile on his face, he knew wxactly what was coming. He was always amazed at how Ron could get Hermione mad over such little things.

"Ok, here I go: There is much more to the Polyjuice potion then us wizards give it credit for. There is the making of the potion, which takes a month to brew. There is the mastering of ----," at that, Hermione pulled his parchment out of his hand.

"Do you really think that copying everything I say will help you get an A? It won't. Why can't you ever do anything on your own?" Cried Hermione with a desperate look on her face.

"Oh, Hermione! Why do you always have to take everything so seriously! You weren't even gonna use the stuff you said! What's the big deal?" He said with a confused look on his face.

"The big deal is, that you never do your own work, and I am sick of being the person that does it for you!"

Ron just looked at Hermione with a "are you done?" face. Hermione was still red when Ginny walked into the room.

"Okay? Are we a little down in the dumps in here," at the sound of Ginny's voice, Harry jumped up.

"Hey Ginny," Harry said with a smile on his face.

"Hey Harry," said Ginny simply. Ginny noticed that Ron and Hermione were avoiding each other's eyes. Ginny bent down between the two of their heads and said, "So...who did what?"

"Ron! Your brother copied exactly what I said on the polyjuice potion down on his parchment! He is so immature, irrespons--"

"I'm right here!" said Ron, standing up now. "Hermione, you really need to learn how to loosen up! Is there any way that I can just be myself around you? Can you ever just laugh at somthing I say? Really, your like a bloody statue!" Ron shouted running his hand through his hair.

"Yup! It's all me! It's all Hermione's fault. Of course, all you did was copy MY homework. All you did was con your way into another Grade A report!" Hermione cried.

"CONNED! I conned my way? Hermione...you're really somthing." Ron sat back down with a defeated look on his face.

"I would never want you to be any different then you are now!" Hermione said, close to tears. Harry and Ginny looked up in complete shock. Hermione had never, ever let her guard down like this before. Ron sat there with his head bowed, but at the sound of those words his eyes widened. "And, I always laugh at your jokes. The only thing I'd ever want to change about you would be your homework habits. Everything else is just perfect the way it is." Hermione grabbed her books and withdrew herself from the common room quickly.

"Ummm...wow," said Ginny and Harry at the same time.

Ron couldn't say anything. What he had just heard was exactly the way he felt about Hermione, only he wasn't brave enough to tell her. But, he kept telling himself, that doesn't mean we're more then friends. Does it?


	3. Lay Off Your Bestfriend

Ron paced the common room, looking at the girl dormitory entrance. He knew he had hurt Hermione and he couldn't stand it. When he heard footsteps coming, he just ran up to the steps, hoping to see an expectant Hermione standing there. Even though he met a beautiful girl on the steps, it wasn't exactly the girl he wanted to meet.

Ron stood in front of an enraged Ginny Weasley.

"Do you have no sensitivity? Do you have no heart?" She screamed in his face. "If you were gonna copy her homework why couldn't you do it discreetly? You hurt her feelings when you do this to her! Just……..just lay off her for a while! She doesn't need you depressing her any further then she already is!" Ginny turned to walk way.

"I'm not gonna lay off my best friend!" shouted Ron, just loud enough for Ginny to hear.

"Your best friend?" Ginny said walking back to Ron with an evil smirk on her face. "You copy your best friend's homework. Then make fun of how your best friend reacts to you conning your way into her A?" Asked Ginny. Every time she said best friend she would make a pair of air quotes with her fingers.

"I did not con her!" Said Ron with an exasperated look on his face. "I merely copied down a bit of what she was saying," Ron said with an "I-can't-believe-I-just-said-something-so-stupid" look on his face.

"I'm gonna add that to my list of stupid things Ron says list. Okay?" asked Ginny. Harry gave a chuckle, but was able to disguise it as a mild sneeze attack. "I think that one disserved the number one slot!" Ginny stormed away, her face almost as red as her hair. Harry was now sneezing violently.

Ron walked over to Harry and sat down in front of him with a defeated look on his face. "I've messed up, haven't I?" He said looking at his feet.

"Just a bit, mate. Just a bit," said Harry with a look of sheer joy on his face. "You like her so much," he said looking at Ron with a wicked grin on his face.

"No, we're just friends," he said with a final look on his face.

"Keep telling yourself that. I'm gonna go find Ginny and tell her about our next practice," said Harry with a dreamy look on his face.

"Very subtle, Harry. Very subtle," aid Ron looking at Harry with a scandalized look on his face.


	4. I'll Back Off

"Hermione," Ron said as he walked up to the studying Hermione.

"Yes?" she said looking up at Ron with expectant eyes.

"Whats up?" Ron said, loosing his nerve about apologizing.

"Nothing. Nothing is up, Ron. I'm sitting here in the common room studying. That's it. I'm studying," She said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Hermione?" Ron said with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry! Okay? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just being stupid like always."

"I knew that," said Hermione, not looking up from her book.

"Okay, Hermione. I know I messed up. But I'm trying to apologize." He said seriously.

"Okay," said Hermione looking at Ron now.

"Okay," Ron said in a preparing voice, "Hermione, I am sorry about copying your essay," Ron looked at Hermione expectantly.

"That's all?" said Hermione with a displeased smile on her face.

"What else is there to say?" said Ron plopping down on the couch.

"Ron. I understand! You will never have my back! I except that Ron. I've learned how not to expect much from you!" whined Hermione.

"I never have your back?" he said, trying to catch Hermione's eyes. "I never have your back?" Said Ron a little bit louder. Hermione could feel Ron's eyes boring into her forehead. "Okay. Let's see. I have your back when it comes to anyone calling you a...a...mud...you-know-what." Said Ron with a stumped look on his face.

Hermione got hit with a shock of guilt. "Ron, I --"

"No, Hermione. It's alright. I never have your back," Ron looked more heartbroken then Hermione had ever looked. "I know I messed up, Hermione. But, I can't be everything you need me to be. So, I think I'm gonna take your advice and," he paused with a look of dread on his face, "back off."

Ron turned around and ran a hand through his hair. He walked away slowly. The slower he walked, the more guilty Hermione felt.


	5. Peanutbutter and Jelly

Harry walked into the boy's dorms wearing a disgusted expression on his face. Harry's facial expression quickly disappeared when he saw Ron lying on his bed with his hands over his face. Harry cleared his throat rather loudly, and at that Ron quickly sat up. Iron looked horrible! His face was musty and his hair was ruffled to the point of no return.

"Are you alright?" asked Harry, "Have you been crying?" Harry said with a knowing expression on his face.

"No!" Ron said quickly, wiping his face with his hands. He tried to look macho but failed terribly.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Ron asked with a scandalized voice.

"Okay, okay." Harry said, looking at Ron simply.

"What?" Ron finally asked.

"Nothing," Harry said, trying to prolong the suspense of what he was about to say.

"WHAT?" shouted Ron loudly now. Harry could tell Ron really wasn't in the mood, so he started to talk.

"You had a fight with Hermione."

"What's new?" asked Ron turning around lazily and sitting down on his bed.

"You tell me," Harry said sitting down on his bed, across from Ron. "One of your fights never made you cry."

"I wasn't crying!" Ron said a little more seriously now. "I'm just a little upset."

"Okay."

"I'm officially not Hermione's friend," Ron said with a surrendering sigh.

"WHAT?" Harry asked, not expecting this in the least.

"It just happened!" said Ron running his hand through his hair in regret. "I went down to apologize, and she didn't like my apology," Ron started pacing around the room. "I didn't know what to say. All the sudden she burst into this thing about me never having her back. I was thinking, 'What does this have to do with anything?'" Ron said throwing his hands into the air. "Then I told her that I always had her back. And then I kind of just said I'd back off, without thinking. I was being stupid! AARGGHH!" Ron screamed in frustration.

* * *

Ginny walked into the girl's dormitory's dorms wearing a disgusted expression on her face. Her expression quickly went away when she saw a weeping Hermione, banging her head on her books.

"Hermione!" screamed Ginny at the site of her. Hermione looked up startled. "What are you doing?" asked Ginny. Hermione got up, ran over to Ginny, and started hugging her so tightly that Ginny was starting to suffocate. Hermione started spilling her guts to Ginny.

"Ron doesn't want to be friends anymore! He came down to apologize to me, and I didn't except it at first. I was being so stupid! I said that he never had my back! Can you believe that?" Hermione yelled in self-regret, but didn't let Ginny answer. "Ron always has my back! I was just being immature! And then he looked like he was gonna cry! I felt so horrible, Ginny!" Ginny slowly let go of Hermione and brought her a tissue.

"Hermione," said Ginny soothingly. "You need to learn that Ron is stupid," even though what she was saying was rather funny, she was still talking in a soothing voice. "Ron, he's……….he's slow. He needs time that other boys don't need to understand something," Ginny took a big breath in a quickly said, "I think you should apologize," she said it almost as if it were one word.

"What!" shouted Hermione.

"He really needs to know that you do things wrong too, Hermione!"

"I suppose, but…"

"Nope," said Ginny simply, cutting her off. "It's weird, but Ron looks up to you," said Ginny looking at Hermione with utter seriousness in her eyes.

"Oh."

* * *

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all arrived in the common room at about the same time. All of them suddenly found their feet very interesting. Ron and Hermione kept looking up once in a while, and Harry and Ginny did the same.

"Umm…..I'm gonna go clean the prefects bathroom," said Ginny not moving a muscle. This was a very lame excuse. Ginny wasn't even a prefect.

"I'm gonna go……wash my hair," said Harry quickly. He didn't move a muscle. This was weird because Harry didn't give a flying piece pig about his hair.

Hermione and Ron turned swiftly to their room mates and said with a confused look on their faces, "Huh!"

Harry and Ginny both turned around and ran up their dormitory steps without taking a backwards glance.

Ron turned back around and looked at Hermione looking at her shoelaces.

"What's gotten into them?" he said Ron, giving off a "please forget about what I said" chuckle.

"Yea," said Hermione giving off the same exact chuckle.

Ron walked across the common room slowly and plopped down on the couch. He leaned over and put his elbows on his knees. He cupped his hands and started playing with his thumbs. Hermione looked at him and adored how he looked. All slouched over on the couch, playing with his thumbs. Hermione walked over to the couch and sat right next to him.

"Ron," started Hermione, but Ron quickly interrupted.

"This is stupid," said Ron looking at Hermione. His elbows were still on his knees, and he was still playing with his thumbs, but his gaze was completely on Hermione.

"I know it is," said Hermione, letting out a relieved sigh.

"I'm sorry," they both said in unison.

Ron let out a big sigh and lay back on the couch. He put his head back so he was looking at the ceiling. Hermione did the same moments after. Ron slowly shifted his head to look at Hermione.

"Why do you think we fight so much?" he asked with a "please teach me" look on his face. Hermione thought this look was the cutest thing. She loved it when Ron made that look.

"I don't know," she said, shifting her head to look at Ron. "You know how opposites attract?" asked Hermione, looking at Ron like she had a mission to complete. Ron loved it when she made this face. It was like all she cared about right then and there was to make him understand what she was trying to say.

"Ya," he said slowly with a thinking look on his face.

"Well, maybe we are the best of friends because we're opposites." She said looking back up at the ceiling. "But, because we're opposites, we still argue and fight," she let a long sad sigh. "I wish we didn't have to be opposites," she said turning her head back to Ron with a longing look on her face.

"Maybe not," he said looking at her with a face of comprehension. "Being opposites can be a good thing, too. I mean, think about it. There's…" Ron took a long pause thinking of what to say, "peanut butter and jelly!" Ron let out with a satisfied look on his face. "They are to totally different things. One is thick, one is thin. One is bitter, one is sweet. But, when you put them together, they make the best sandwich to ever have been created! Total harmony when you take the first bite. And when you get to the last one you are left wanting more!"

Ron was looking into Hermione's eyes with the biggest smile she had ever seen.

"You're right Ron." She smiled and laughed a little. "I'm impressed."

"Good," said Ron looking back up at the ceiling. He was still smiling. He knew that everything would be alright with him and Hermione. He knew that nothing could separate them as best friends. 'Once you mix peanut butter and jelly, there is no tutning back' he thought happily.

"Ya. Good," said Hermione, also looking back up to the ceiling with an equally big smile on her face.

Ron and Hermione sat there for a long time that night, just basking in each other's presence. They both knew that they would be friends forever, and they found comfort in that. When they finally did leave each other to go to bed, they both left, wanting another piece of that peanut butter and jelly sandwich friendship they had created.


	6. I Have Your Back

Ron, Harry, and Hermione walked out of Divination, all looking a little depressed.

"Eight times! I think she's broken a record! She predicted my death eight times! That woman is definitely a wacko," said Harry frowning.

"Well, just think, Voldemort isn't going to kill you every time you die, only the first three times," said Ron sarcastically. Hermione gave off a chuckle. Ron looked over and blushed profusely. At the sight of this Harry rolled his eyes. He was sick of seeing Ron and Hermione hide their feelings for each other. He couldn't help being a hypocrite; he still hadn't told Ginny he liked her.

As they walked down the hall, they were rudely interrupted by the person they all disliked with a passion.

"Well, if it isn't little Harry Potter," said Draco Malfoy with his usual sneer.

"Well, if it isn't ferret boy," said Harry stepping up to him with no fear, whatsoever, in his mind.

Malfoy gave off a laugh that showed he was acting like he didn't care, yet his acting was horrible. "Hmm……is that all you got on me? That was what? Two years ago? I was immature then. I wish that Mad Eye Moody would try me now. He'd see what he missed," Malfoy laughed. Crabbe and Goyle quickly chimed in when they saw that he needed his gooneys to back him up.

"Empty threat, isn't it, Malfoy? Seeing as, Moody isn't here," Hermione gave off a sarcastic girly laugh, "And let me assure you, he didn't miss anything."

Ron didn't try to hard to hide his laughter. It might have even been a little exaggerated.

"Did this filthy little mudblood talk to me again?" Malfoy asked looking up to Crabbe and Goyle.

Ron stepped in front of Hermione and said through gritted teeth, "Do you mind saying that one more time. I didn't catch it."

Malfoy lifted his eyebrow and gave a fake courteous smile, "I said 'Did this filthy mudblood talk to ma again?' Did you hear me that time?" said Malfoy still smiling.

Ron whipped out his wand so swiftly that Malfoy didn't have time to arm himself.

"Just making sure," Ron said smiling now, "I didn't want to beat the guts out of you without making sure you disserved it," At this Hermione went up to Ron and tugged on his arm.

"Don't!" she said with a longing look in her eyes.

At that moment when Ron looked down at Hermione, Malfoy pulled out his wand and screamed, "Expelliarmus!" Ron's wand flew out of his hand in a swift second.

Hermione acted quickly and shouted in the defense of Ron, "FURNUNCULUS!" When Malfoy's body erupted in boils, Hermione gave off a laugh. She just said the spell that came to mind. Malfoy looked enraged. A mudblood had just used magic on him. That must have been the biggest insult on him.

"Incendio!" Hermione's arm erupted in flames. She screamed and tried to get out the flames. Ron reached for his wand, but realized that Malfoy had sent it flying just moments earlier. He saw the fire creeping up Hermione's robes.

"I've got it!" screamed Harry. He pulled off his robe and through it on the ground next to Hermione. "Evanesco!"

Hermione's sleeve disappeared. "Thankyou!" she screamed to Harry.

"Grab the robe, Hermione!" screamed Harry, pointing to the robe franticly.

"Please! Grab the robe!" shouted Malfoy with a look of disgust on his face. Ron was just gaping at her.

Hermione looked down and saw that her robes were disappearing from the bottom to the top. Hermione grabbed the robe before it could go anywhere past her legs.

"Thanks, Harry! Really!" Hermione said sarcastically.

Malfoy immediately rounded on Ron again. Ron smiled at the competition. "So, where was…."

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione screamed. Malfoy's wand went flying. Both Ron and Malfoy were now empty handed. Ron looked around trying to withstand his anger; He failed miserably. Ron walked up to Malfoy and through a fist right at his nose.

Malfoy coiled for a split second, but looked up quickly with his hand on his nose. He quickly retaliated, and through a punch right back at Ron in the same exact place.

"Isn't this sad?" said Ron, muffled. His hand was over his nose now. It was letting out a good flow of blood now. "Malfoy can't even come up with his own place to punch me."

"You're right! The stomach is much more effective!" Malfoy swung his fist into Ron's stomach so quickly that Ron couldn't even think of a means to block him.

"Oh, yea!" Ron said, swinging his fist into Malfoy's stomach, "You're right!"

Malfoy stumbled back and found balance on the wall. Ron turned and grabbed his stomach in an effort to subside the burning in his stomach. This effort didn't help much, the burning only grew.

Malfoy gave a growl, ran up to Ron while his back was turned, and shoved him head first into the wall. Ron grabbed the wall in an effort to steady himself, but fell to the ground anyway.

Hermione couldn't watch this any longer. Tears were already streaming down her face. "Immobulus!" she screamed sincerely. Malfoy's body fell to the ground, not being able to move.

Hermione ran up to Ron in a hurry. Harry followed with worry in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Hermione whispered to Ron. He was sitting, leaning back on the wall. His elbows were leaning on his arched legs. His face was covered in blood from when Malfoy struck him in the face.

Ron gave a weak smile and said, "I'm fine. Rea.." As Ron tried to get up, he fell back down when he had a dizzy spell, "Just a little dizzy."

"Oh, Ron," said Hermione hugging him tightly. When she let go, she looked at him with sympathetic eyes.

"Really, Hermione. I'm fine," he said, trying to comfort Hermione. He let his head fall and rest on the wall. He closed his eyes to drown out the pain he was feeling in the left side of his body. Hermione let out a whimper. She knew that Ron was in pain, and she knew that she would have to visit him in the hospital wing, yet, again.


	7. I'm Not Goin' In That Lake!

Ms. Pomfry walked over to Ron shaking her head desperately. She murmured things such as, "Kids these days," or, "Don't give a care about their health!"

Hermione sat, crunched in the seat beside Ron's bed.

"Two broken ribs!" said Ms. Pomfry leaning over Ron to bandage him up. Hermione could see him mouthing, "I'm fine!" over Ms. Pomfry's body. She gave Ron a weak smile and looked down at her hands. She found her thumbs very interesting at that moment.

"Do not move. I'll be back with your potion," said Ms. Pomfry wiggling her finger at Ron furiously. She walked away, still shaking her head.

"Thank the lord she's gone!" shouted Ron, but only loud enough for Hermione to hear.

"Ron, you should listen to her. You broke two ribs. You shouldn't have done that!" Said Hermione shaking her head, the events of the hour before still running through her head.

"What a load of rubbish. It doesn't even hurt," said Ron in a comforting tone. At this, Hermione poked Ron in his side and he shrieked in pain.

"Ya, Sure sounds like it hurts," said Hermione sitting down again. She started playing with her thumbs once more.

"Ok, they hurt a little," said Ron rubbing his side, "but it's not tragic."

Hermione leaned down and looked at Ron. She waved to Ron to tell him to lean in. Ron looked around the room to see if anyone was there but him, he leaned down slowly.

"What," Ron whispered.

"I just need to tell you a secret," said Hermione slowly.

"Okay," Ron said with a get-on-with-it tone.

"You," she looked around the room slowly, "are a horrible, horrible liar," Hermione burst out laughing. Ron just leaned back on the back of his bed with the little half smile Hermione loved. Hermione found herself staring at Ron.

"What?" asked Ron.

"What?" Hermione asked, snapping out of her gaze.

"You were staring," he said.

"No I wasn't," just when Ron was about to object, Ms. Pomfry came back to the bed with a big tub of liquid and three pieces of parchment.

"Now, you will drink this potion twice everyday. Once when you wake up, and once before you go to bed. This is a pass to swim in the lake…."

"What?" asked Ron startled by this statement, "I'm not going in that lake!" He crossed his hands around his chest, but as a strong pain lurched up his side he let his arms down with a shallow gasp. At the sight of this, Hermione pouted. Ron knew he messed up once again. His cover was blown, and Hermione knew that he was hurting horribly.

"You have to be in the lake twice a week, for an hour. It reduces the wait on your ribs, it will make the ribs heal correctly," she said matter-of-factly.

"I'm still not going in that lake," he said with the most serious face Hermione had ever seen.

"Well, I've written you and Mr. Potter a pass, so that Ronald won't be alone in the lake," said Ms. Pomfry, redirecting her gaze to Hermione. "You will go tomorrow and Friday. You three, keep these papers with you. They will start whistling when it is time for you to go," said Ms. Pomfry handing Hermione the three passes. She walked away in a bustle.

"Me, in the lake! HA! I don't think so," Ron said loudly. "She can take those passes and shove them up her---"

"Ron!" screamed Hermione. "This is for your health," said Hermione standing up. "I expect to see you at the lake tomorrow," said Hermione walking away.

Ron suddenly had an image of Hermione in a bathing suit. "What the…" said Ron, pushing the thought out of his head. Even though he tried his hardest not to, he now had the most impatience about going to that lake.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry sat in class, waiting for the passes to whistle. Harry looked at Ron, daring himself to laugh. Ron sat at his seat wiggling and jerking around in his seat. Every ten seconds or so, he would slowly turn his head to look at Hermione, but jerk it back to the front of the room within a second.

"Can you try, just a little, to hide the fact that you have a crush on Hermione?" Harry said mockingly.

"Get real, Harry. I do not have a crush on Hermione!" Ron whispered in a threatening way.

"Okay, Ron. Then what's up with all the jerking around to look at Hermione?" asked Harry with a mock dumbfounded look on his face.

"Well, just to let you know, I am nervous. That's all. I'm nervous to see one of my best friends in a bloody bathing suit!" He said leaning in closer to Harry to make sure no one could here.

"I'm nervous to!" Said Harry excitedly. Seeing look questionable look on Ron's face, Harry felt as if he had to explain. "Ms. Pomfrey felt we needed someone to, kind of, watch on us. Some one that would make sure we didn't get out of control. She thought that she'd make Ginny come with us to the lake to make sure we didn't do anything to '6th years'-ish. Maybe she figured, there being a fifth year around, we wouldn't want to do anything bad. Not that we would do anything bad in the first place!" said Harry with a scandalized look on his face. "But, I'm still excited!"

"Eww," said Ron disgusted. He just cringed at the thought of Harry and his sister. He was happy they were not together yet, but he knew that sooner or later they would get together. It was unavoidable.

At this, Ron felt a sudden vibration in his pocket. A loud, screeching whistle went soaring around the room. Ron and Harry had no idea the "whistling" would be this loud! Ron ran up to the professor and showed her the screaming passes and she let them go at once. It was more of a way to get the screaming pieces of paper out of her room.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry met Ginny at the bathrooms that said "Witches" and "Wizards" on top. At the moment they arrived, Ginny walked up to Harry and spoke:

"Thanks, Harry. You know, for convincing Ms. Pomfry into letting me go to the pond with you three," she said glancing at all three.

"No problem at all," said Harry, smiling sheepishly to a red faced Ron.

"So you to can get ready in there, and we'll get ready in here. Basic procedure. We'll meet you at the big Oak in front of the lake," said Hermione finally.

"Ya, see you," said Ron, turning very red in the face.

**A/N: Get ready for a bunch of R/H – H/G moments in the next chapter!**


	8. Realization at the Lake

Ron and Harry stood at the big Oak tree, waiting for Hermione and Ginny.

"For Merlin's sake! What are they doing in there? All they have to do is put on a bloody bathing suit and get in the water!" said Ron exasperated. He leaned on the Oak tree, tapping his foot on it every few seconds.

"Ron! Calm down. What are you in a rush for anyway? I thought you didn't want to go in the water."

"That was when I was afraid of giant squid," said Ron matter-of-factly.

"Oh, and I guess you got over that in all of……..12 hours?" Harry said, trying to hold in the smirk that was threatening to spread across his face.

"Haha," said Ron dully. "Oh, and great way you played the whole Ginny thing! 'Maybe Ms. Pomfry thought that if there was a fifth year around, we'd behave better.' What a bunch of rubbish!" shouted Ron with a wide grin on his face.

"Ok, so I felt bad. Hermione would have been all alone here. I thought that if Ginny were her, she'd have a better time," said Harry, hoping he pulled it off.

"Aha," said Ron. Harry let out a big sigh and turned back to the school to wait for the arrival of his best friend and his crush.

"This robe is really itchy," said Ron slowly, scratching at his robe. "And I can't get the part that really itches," he said pointing to his left side, where he broke two ribs.

"I know. It is quite itchy," said Harry, reaching over his shoulder to scratch the back of his neck.

At this, the door to the castle slipped open and closed again. Ron could hear it and stood up straight immediately.

"Twitchy, are we?" asked Harry sarcastically.

"Shut up," said Ron abruptly.

Ron and Harry spotted Hermione and Ginny walking up the field toward them. They were both tugging at the bottoms of their robes, feeling as if they were to short, the boys guessed. Ron could see Hermione's bare knees, and it made him very anxious. His reaction was to look at the ground and play with his toes.

Ginny looked like she had been getting ready for this all morning. Her hair waved in the back of her head every time she took a step. Harry was transfixed as she approached them.

"How long have you been waiting?" asked Ginny suddenly, sending Harry out of his daze, and Ron to look up.

"A good 10 minutes. What took you two so long?" said Ron, rolling his eyes.

"Well, as you can see, me and Hermione weren't given properly fitting robes," Ginny said pulling at the side of her robes violently, "I was rather mad."

"Yes. I don't like the size of them either," said Hermione, tying her string a little tighter.

"You're taking them off any second now anyway," said Harry turning to start walking to the lake. Hermione looked at Ginny, and they both shrugged. They hadn't realized that. 'He's so clever!' thought Ginny, blushing.

"Are you coming, or what?" asked Ron, as he turned to walk away.

"Yes, we are, Ronald," said Hermione snappily.

They all walked down to the lake and stopped at the doc. They all stood there, Ron next to Hermione, Hermione next to Ginny, and Ginny next to Harry. They all stared at the lake and sighed. Harry turned to look at his three friends, he shrugged.

Harry slipped off his robe. Ginny gasped, but covered it up by pretending she had seen something jump in the distance. Harry undressed quickly. He took off his socks and jumped into the lake. His bathing suit was blue and yellow. He had ducks on his.

"Nice bathing suit!" yelled Ginny slipping off her robe. Harry turned around to look at the three of them. His eyes widened at the sight of Ginny. She was wearing a green bikini, with orange around the borders. She jumped into the water, her long hair following her. She swam up to Harry and poked him in the stomach. At this she emerged from the water. "Hey," she said, removing the hair from her face.

"Hey," said Harry. It was the only thing he could think of saying.

"Are you guys coming in or what?" yelled Ginny. Tapping Harry on the shoulder, she whispered, "This is what took so long," she looked at Hermione and smiled mischievously.

Hermione looked up to Ron. Ron looked down at her feeling her eyes boring into him. She quickly looked away, blushing. Ron could imagine what she was wearing under that robe. An old lady's bathing suit. One that a mother would want their baby girl to wear forever. A plain black bathing suit.

Hermione looked at Ginny with pleading eyes.

"Come on!" Ginny yelled, still smiling.

"Okay!" screamed Hermione, letting her robe slip down. Ron was short of breath at the sight of her. She definitely wasn't wearing a granny suit. The bathing suit was like a tankini, but it came up a little higher. That's what Ron loved about Hermione. She would always try something new, but never out of her personality. The bathing suit was orange and purple. The border was purple, and the bathing suit was orange. The top ended right above her belly button. Not that Ron was looking.

"I see," whispered Harry to Ginny in understanding what took them so long. Ginny had been persuading Hermione not to wear her granny bathing suit and had succeeded. That is what Harry loved about Ginny. She helped people do things that never thought they would do. They have fun doing it to.

Hermione sat down on the doc, and lowered herself into the water. Ron looked up to the sky and sighed before he took off his robes.

Ron slipped off his robes; it was Hermione's turn to be transfixed. Ron wasn't as lanky as he used to be. He had now developed a bit of a four pack. His arms were not lanky in the least. He had biceps that were worth keeping in shape. Hermione couldn't help thinking that quidditch had done the boy some good. At this, Hermione realized something.

"Ronald Weasley!" she yelled from below the doc.

"What," Ron asked sitting down on the doc to hear her better.

"Where are your bandages?" she squeaked. She still hadn't gotten over Ron's sudden non-lankyness.

"Oh yea," Ron said looking around. When he settled his eyes back on Hermione, they were filled with worry. He suddenly felt as if he had a duty to explain, "They were itchy last night. I took them off, intending to put them back on today. I kind of just forgot," he said shrugging.

"This is not a shrug worthy issue, Ron. This is serious, you need those bandages!" Ron slipped down into the water and put his hand on her shoulder to balance himself. Hermione inhaled, but it didn't last long. She kept talking. "Ron, maybe we should go back and get them. I don't want you getting hurt, and…" Ron grabbed Hermione's other shoulder and whisked her around to face him. He was looking straight into her eyes seriously, but with a pleading look. She couldn't do anything but stare back into his blue eyes.

"Hermione, it'll be fine. They probably would've fell off anyway," Hermione didn't look satisfied. "Okay, if it makes you feel better, I promise I will never take them off again without the permission of Ms. Pomfry," He said tilting his head with a suggestive look.

Hermione thought about this proposal. She excepted it by nodding, she couldn't get a word out of her mouth.

"Good," said Ron, releasing Hermione. Hermione let a breath out that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Are you guys coming, or what?" yelled Harry, still standing next to Ginny.

"On my way!" yelled Ron. He dipped under the water, and started pushing himself tword them. He didn't use his feet at all. Hermione guessed it was because of his ribs. All he did was move his muscular arms in front of him then push them back. He was at Harry and Ginny in no time.

"Come on!" yelled Ginny. Hermione swam out to them swiftly. Ron noticed that she swam like a mermaid instead of swimming like a propelled boat. She didn't move her arms or her feet. She just kind of………glided over. When she emerged from the water, she looked as if she had seen a ghost.

"Are you all right," said Ron, bending down into Hermione's face in a mock-ey kind of way.

"Yes, I'm fine, really," she said standing up straight and gaining her composure, "I just don't like water much," she said matter-of-factly.

"Are you serious?" asked Ron in surprise. "Hermione Granger, afraid of water! Why are you here then? You didn't have to come," asked Ron.

"I wanted to," said Hermione dipping into the water and gliding away once more to Ron's amazement.

"I'm gonna go check on her," said Ron defensively to Harry as he set his way over to Hermione.

"Alright," said Harry, holding his thumbs up sarcastically.

Ron ignored this and waded his way over to Hermione. She was now sitting in the shallow water, playing with the pebbles at the bottom of the lake. He watched her intently. For every few pebbles she found, she would levitate one or two to her bag. Before she did this, she would gasp. Almost as if she was basking in the beauty of a rock. At this, Ron truly thought he would never understand girls.

Even though what she was enjoying was extremely girly and deep, Ron found it very alluring. At this he waded his way to the shallow water and sat down next to Hermione.

"Having fun?" asked Ron, picking up a few pebbles of his own.

"Yes, actually. I found a pebble a while ago that was so beautiful. I wanted to find some more," she said looking down at her knees and blushing. Ron felt like he was intruding on some deep moment that was only for Hermione.

"I can leave. I mean, if you want to find your pebbles in peace?" said Ron starting to get up. Hermione grabbed his wrist and said:

"No. Stay. You can help me," said Hermione letting go and sifting her hand through the water again.

"I know it might be hard to believe, Hermione, but I don't have very good taste in rocks. Not beautiful ones, at least," said Ron, picking up a handful of pebbles and dropping it back into the water.

"Ron," Hermione said. She had a bit of exasperation in her voice. "What you think is beautiful, is beautiful to you. It doesn't matter what I think," Ron raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "Ok, let me rephrase that. What you think is 'wicked', is 'wicked' to you. It doesn't matter what I think."

Ron looked ahead of him. He seemed to be thinking about what Hermione had said. Was she saying that no matter what she thought, or whatever anyone in the world thought, what he thought was beautiful, is? Was she saying that even if she doesn't agree with him, what he thinks is wicked will always be wicked to him? Or, was she saying that whatever Ron thought was beautiful, she agreed? As he pondered, he looked at Hermione and grinned softly.

Hermione nodded when she understood and started sifting through the pebbles once again. They sat there for a good 6 minutes before one of them talked.

"I FOUND ONE!" screamed Ron!

"Oh, that's great Ron! Let's see it then!" she said expectantly.

Ron pulled his hand back into the water. He shook his head and murmured, "No. That's all right. It's ugly anyway."

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione, reaching over Ron and pulling the pebble out of his hand.

She studied it for a minute. When she was clearly done studying, she turned to Ron with a look of curiosity on her face.

"What do you find so wicked about this rock?" asked Hermione.

"If you don't know I'm not telling you," said Ron, slapping his hand in the water.

"Oh Ron. Make me understand," said Hermione with pleading eyes. "No one understood Vincent Vango's art until someone explained it to them. After that, they all thought it was beautiful. They held the art up on a high standard. The same thing can happen between me and this here rock," pleaded Hermione.

Ron rolled his eyes, and started to explain, "Okay. You see the orange part on the outside," Ron said pointing to the outside of the pebble. It had an orange ring around it.

"Yes."

"Well, then there is the brown inside, and then in the very middle there is a spot of green."

"And?"

"And what?" asked Ron distinctively.

"What does that mean to you?" asked Hermione as if Ron should have already known she was going to ask.

"Well, It kind of represents friendship, doesn't it?" said Ron. He hoped this would have been enough, but Hermione's eyes were still boring into him. He suddenly had a flash back of Miss. Trelawney's classes."The center is what the friendship, kinda, revolves around. Obviously, that's Harry. The brown around the middle is kind of the person that just hangs around, the sidekick-ey person. Obviously me." Hermione rolled her eyes at this comment. Ron chose to ignore this and kept going. "And the ring around it is kind of what holds the friendship together. That's you," said Ron, dropping the pebble back into the water.

"That is beautiful, Ron," said Hermione blushing slightly. "You should keep the rock though!" said Hermione lunging over Ron to get the rock he had put back in the water. When she had achieved to retrieve the rock, she turned to Ron red in the face. "A symbol of our undying lo---friendship," Hermione caught herself getting ready to say something she would have regretted. Once she pulled herself together, she started thnking about what Ron said. "I don't hold our friendship together."

"Oh please, Hermione. Remember in fourth year when I got mad at Harry?" he asked looking at Hermione like what he said was obvious to the naked eye.

"Yes. What does that have to do with anything?" she shook her head from side to side. Her hair was slightly dry now. It was starting to frizz, but Ron didn't seem to notice.

"Do you not remember being the one that made me make up with him in the end?"

"Well, yae. But that doesn't mean I hold the friend ship together," she said shaking her head again.

"Hermione, you really are to modest," Ron said, splashing his hand in the water. "We better get deeper in. The water's not really doing anything for my ribs," Ron laughed.

"You're right. Let's go."

* * *

"So, when do you think Hermione and Ron will reveal their undying love for each other?" asked Ginny with the cutest grin Harry had ever seen.

"Oh, it depends. I think that we are going to have to work it out of them a bit. But, they'll come around to telling us," he said wading through the water towards Ginny.

Ginny looked over to the shore and saw Hermione and Ron sitting, talking, smiling.

"I bet you anything they are sharing a lovely moment that they'll just pass off as 'being best friends'," she put soggy finger quotes around the last few words.

"Agreed," sighed Harry. At Harry's random sigh a look of sympathy erupted on Ginny's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that if Ron never tells Hermione, tells himself," he added, "that he like her, then they'll never know that they could have had such a great relationship together," Harry didn't realize he was wading closer to Ginny.

"You're right. If Hermione never let's her feelings show, then she might not ever get to express her feelings toward Ron," she said, wading closer and closer to Harry.

"But, I understand Ron's position. He has no clue if Hermione likes him or not," said Harry finally stopping. He was standing so close to Ginny, he could feel her breath on his cheek.

"Same with me……I mean I understand Hermione's position," she saved herself, "She has no clue if Ron thinks of her that way at all," she said breathlessly. Harry's presence right in front of her was like a dream she had never before imagined would actually take place.

Harry started to lean in to Ginny's luscious lips when he was interrupted by a shriek and a yell.

* * *

Ron walked with Hermione into the water slowly. Hermione kept asking frequently: "Are you all right, do we need to turn back?"

Every time Ron would reply: "I'm fine Hermione, don't worry about it."

It went on like this until the hit water that was up to Hermione's chin.

"I didn't realize we went this far out," she said wobbling above water. She probably didn't notice because she was busy basking in Ron's presence; his manly-man-ness. She couldn't stop thinking about him.

Maybe he didn't notice because he was basking in her presence; her slender body walking slowly into the water next to him. Or, maybe it was just because he was about a foot taller then her and he was only up to his chest.

"Oh," Ron said stepping back so Hermione could get to shallower water.

"Umm…" she said struggling to step to the shallower water. Ron knew that a slight undertow was tugging at her. Slowly he placed his hands around her waist. Hermione gasped at the unexpected contact. Ron twirled her around so she was now in the shallow water.

They were now equal in height. Ron was up to his collar bone in deep water, Hermione up to hers in shallow. This gave both Ron and Hermione a new perspective on each other's faces. Ron noticed, from this angle, he could see three little freckles on her nose. They were to far away when he was a foot taller then her.

Hermione could see, from this angle, Ron's hair was tucked behind his ear on the right side but not on the left. She loved it about him. His messiness, his throw it together outfits every day. She loved everything about his personality. And if it weren't for her lame reason to finally feel this way, she would have kissed him right then and there.

They were so close that Ron could feel her breathing on hid cheek. Hermione started to lean in to Ron's luscious lips when she felt something clasp her ankle.

Her face was all the sudden frantic compared to her former deep eyes that bore into Ron. Now she was yelling hopelessly: "Ron! My leg! Something's on my leg!"

Ron looked into the water to see what it was but the water was too murky to even wish to see an inch deep into the water.

All the sudden Hermione let out a high pitched shriek, and was sucked under the water.

"OI!" yelled Ron spinning around in place in the water. He swirled around frantically until he dived into the water without even thinking about the pain that started shooting up his side.

"Heeergg—miiooon—geee!" he screamed under water. He started swimming toward the foot he saw disappearing into the murkiness.

As he swam, he started to hear soothing voices coming from all around him. They were singing.

**To reveal the most secret lie**

**We must hide what he must find**

**If he doesn't find what is lost**

**Then love will surly be the cost**

Ron had a surge of fear go through him. He knew what was happening. It was a tri-wizard tournament that went surging through his head. He remembered when he was the object of one of those catchy little rhymes. He almost drown when he figured they were talking about Hermione.

Ron went up for a breath of air and submerged himself under water yet again.

**If only a kiss**

**We'll set this one free**

**But anything less**

**Sends her straight back to we**

He followed the voices into the deep murkiness. He tried to ignore the pain on his ribs from the pressure of the water pushing him up. Ron felt himself running out of air. He could only think of one thing that could save him from drowning to death: the bubble head charm!

"Bubbligooormmoo," he yelled under water. He didn't know if it was going to work, him being under water, but it was worth a try. A bubble stretched over his face and he was relieved to be able to breath.

**Closer he comes**

**To his prize so sweet**

**He'll find her awaiting**

**him fast asleep**

The mermaids continued to sing their haunting, but beautiful verses. With every stanza, Ron could feel Hermione getting closer. He swam further and further into the dirty water until he reached it.

A huge cave sit in front of him. Hermione was laying on a cliff that pertruded out of the cave.

**Here he approaches**

**His wonderful prize**

**If his task is completed**

**He'll collect in good size**

**She sleeps here sweetly**

**Awaiting his kiss**

**She breaths oh so meekly**

**Awaiting the bliss**

Ron approached Hermione. When he sat on the cliff grasping his ribs, mermaids from all over rushed to him with spears at hand. He knew what he had to do from all the messages the mermaids had been telling him.

It wasn't hard for him to decide to actually kiss Hermione. He was dieing to do it for days now. What was bothering him was: Why did it take kidnapping mermaids to make him come to this?

Ron moved slowly down to Hermione's face. He saw air bubbles leaveing and returning to her mouth. Her skin was so pale. It gave her a creamy look. It made her more beautiful then she already was. He leaned into her. When their lip connected, Ron felt like he was poring himself into her. He felt the water flowing past his lips as he refused to release this kiss.

All the sudden, Hermione's eyes burst open. She started screaming and kicking her legs. Once she noticed it was Ron tugging her back to the surface, she scremed:

"RON!" he saw her gulp in to much water. He saw her close her eyes slowly. He knew what he was going to have to do when he got to the surface. Another trip to Ms. Pomfry's was in his future. The pain in his ribs surged again every time Hermione's knee bumped his ribs.

**If he remembers**

**What happened hear**

**He'll finally render**

**A kiss much more clear**

This is the last thing he heard from the mermaids as his head reached the air. Hermione's head bobbed on his shoulder. He was in a daze as Harry and Ginny rushed to him. Harry took Hermione off Ron's shoulder and started running to the castle. Ginny threw Ron's hand around her shoulder and tried her best to drag him/walk him to Ms. Pomfry's. Ron had a non-stop surge of pain running through him. It was taking all he had to walk to the castle.

What happened after this: Ron had no clue. What Ron did know was what the mermaids wanted to show him; what they wanted him to do. The only thing he needed to do was know if it were true. He needed to know why and how the mermaids knew about his deepest thoughts and dreams.

One thing he knew for sure was that, this was never going to happen again. He would make sure of it.

**VERY LONG CHAPTER. I HOPE YOU LIKED IT! READ AND REVIEW!**


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